The present invention relates to an installation for charging a shaft furnace, comprising a rotating and pivoting distribution chute suspended from the top of the furnace, means for driving the chute, consisting of first and second rolling rings which are designed to cause the chute to rotate about the vertical axis of the furnace and to modify its angle of tilt relative to this axis by pivoting about its horizontal axis of suspension, means for actuating, independently of each other, the two rolling rings, a central hopper equipped with a lower sealing valve, two horizontal crosspieces extending parallel on either side of the chute, inside the second ring of which the crosspieces are securely fastened, the chute being supported in a removable manner by two lateral side plates each comprising a support journal each housed in a bearing of each of the said crosspieces.
A charging installation of this type is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,806, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This known installation has, inter alia, the advantage of permitting the removal of its chute via its drive mechanism and of being easily fitted onto existing blast furnaces in order to replace a conventional bell-type charging installation.